An analysis of debit and credit card spending for the two week period August 5th-18th reveals that outlay rose significantly in sports clubs, beauty spas and cinemas, as parents looked to keep their children busy during the final few weeks of the school holidays.
With hit movies such as Kneecap and Deadpool & Wolverine hitting Irish movie theatres in late summer, it was no surprise to see cinema spending spike by 10% when compared to a similar two-week period in 2023.
Big screen entertainment was one way to keep the kids happy, whilst others opted for outdoor pursuits instead, with spending in sports clubs (GAA, soccer, tennis) increasing by 50%, boat rentals by 23%, campsites and trailer parks by 14% and amusement parks up 9% during the same period.
Spending in beauty spas went up by 25%, suggesting that while the kids were off playing sports or watching movies, parents may have enjoyed a treatment or beauty therapy session of their own after a long summer. And the rush to kit the kids out in the school uniforms saw spending in family clothing stores go up by 11%.
The data comes from the latest Bank of Ireland Spending Pulse, which shows that total spending rose by 3% year on year, with social spending going up by 4% and overall retail spending rising by 3%. Fast-food outlay went up 6% as kids tucked into burgers and chips before returning to school packed lunches, and bakery spending spiked by 20%.
